Battle of Circinius IV

The Battle at Circinius IV was a conflict between UNSC and Covenant forces on the colony of Circinius IV in mid-2526.

Prelude

Even after the first engagements on Harvest, ONI Section II kept the Covenant invasion secret from a large portion of the general population as of 2526. This included the cadets and staff of the Corbulo Academy of Military Science on Circinius IV. However, the Academy's superintendent, General Black, was informed. As preparation for a possible attack, Black discreetly increased the readiness of the UNSC Marine garrison posted in the academy and authorized limited communications blackouts under the guise of routine maintenance procedures.

Battle

"...We are under attack."

— Thomas Lasky

At some point in 2526, the Covenant began an assault on Circinius IV, targeting the Corbulo Academy of Military Science with three SDV-class heavy corvettes. Locally stationed Marines provided an initial defense of the Academy, and the evacuation of the cadets via the school's space elevator was begun immediately. The UNSC forces soon deployed Orbital Drop Shock Troopers directly onto the campus. However, one of the Covenant corvettes fired on the elevator, causing it to collapse on the school and halt the evacuation. Since all of the cadets and staffs were called to converge to the elevator for evacuation, the collapse of the elevator killed many of members of the academy.

John-117: "You are the only survivors."

Michael Sullivan: "Of the school?"

John-117: "On the planet."

— John-117 notifies the cadets of the planet's casualty.

Corbulo's officer cadets were caught off-guard by this attack, scattering into the surrounding areas, and many fought against the Covenant in close combat. However, even under the aid of the UNSC Marines and ODSTs, the illy-prepared staffs and cadets were massacred by the overwhelming Covenant, leaving only four members of Hastati Squad alive. Cadets April Orenski, Thomas Lasky, Chyler Silva, and Michael Sullivan were rescued by Spartan supersoldier John-117, who then opened the cadets' lockers and allowed the cadets to arm themselves.

John-117 led the survivors to the academy's exterior, where they were ambushed by Kig-yar Snipers. After dispatching the snipers, they left the academy on General Black's Warthog.<ref="part4"/>

Gallery

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  3 Covenant corvettes descending towards Corbulo.

List of Appearances

• Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn (First appearance)